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〃I have words concerning Colonel Krupkin； General。 In line with your instructions to monitor the colonel's telephone conversations； including those international lines authorized by him； I received a tape from Paris several minutes ago that I thought you should listen to。〃
〃As usual； you are most efficient and I am most grateful； and as always； I'm sure Colonel Krupkin will inform us of events； but as you know； he's so terribly busy。〃
〃No explanations are necessary； sir。 The conversations you are about to hear were recorded within the past half hour。 The earphones； please？〃
Rodchenko slipped on the headset and nodded。 The operator placed a pad and a container of sharpened pencils in front of the general； he touched a number on the keyboard and sat back as the powerful third direktor of the Komitet leaned forward listening。 In moments the general began taking notes； minutes later he was writing furiously。 The tape came to an end and Rodchenko removed the headset。 He looked sternly at the operator； his narrow Slavic eyes rigid between the folds of lined flesh； the crevices in his face seemingly more pronounced than before。
〃Erase the tape； then destroy the reel；〃 he ordered； getting out of the chair。 〃As usual； you have heard nothing。〃
〃As usual； General。〃
〃And； as usual； you will be rewarded。〃
It was 4：17 when Rodchenko returned to his office and sat down at his desk； studying his notes。 It was incredible！ It was beyond belief； yet there it was…he had heard for himself the words and the voices saying those words！ 。。。 Not those concerning the monseigneur in Paris； he was secondary now and could be reached in minutes； if it was necessary。 That could wait； but the other could not wait； not an instant longer！ The general picked up his phone and rang his secretary。
〃I want an immediate satellite transmission to our consulate in New York。 All maximum scramblers in place and operational。〃
How could it happen？
Medusa！
32
Frowning； Marie listened to her husband's voice over the telephone； nodding at Mo Panov across the hotel room。 〃Where are you now？〃 she asked。
〃At a pay phone in the Plaza…Athénée；〃 answered Bourne。 〃I'll be back in a couple of hours。〃
〃What's happening？〃
〃plications； but also some progress。〃
〃That doesn't tell me anything。〃
〃There's not that much to tell。〃
〃What's this Krupkin like？〃
〃He's an original。 He brought us to the Soviet embassy and I talked to your brother on one of their lines。〃
〃What？ 。。。 How are the children？〃
〃Fine。 Everything's fine。 Jamie's thoroughly enjoying himself and Mrs。 Cooper won't let Johnny touch Alison。〃
〃Which means Bro doesn't want to touch Alison。〃
〃So be it。〃
〃What's the number？ I want to call。〃
〃Holland's setting up a secure line。 We'll know in an hour or so。〃
〃Which means you're lying。〃
〃So be it。 You should be with them。 If I'm delayed； I'll call you。〃
〃Wait a minute。 Mo wants to talk to you…〃
The line went dead。 Across the room； Panov slowly shook his head as he watched Marie's reaction to the suddenly terminated conversation。 〃Forget it；〃 he said。 〃I'm the last person he wants to talk to。〃
〃He's back there； Mo。 He's not David any longer。〃
〃He has a different calling now；〃 added Panov softly。 〃David can't handle it。〃
〃I think that's the most frightening thing I've ever heard you say。〃
The psychiatrist nodded。 〃It may well be。〃
The gray Citro？n was parked several hundred feet diagonally across from the canopied entrance of Dominique Lavier's apartment building on the fashionable avenue Montaigne。 Krupkin； Alex and Bourne sat in the back； Conklin again in the jump seat； his size and disabled leg making the position more feasible。 Conversation was at a minimum as the three men anxiously kept glancing over at the glass doors of the apartment。
〃Are you sure this is going to work？〃 asked Jason。
〃I am only sure that Sergei is an immensely talented professional；〃 replied Krupkin。 〃He was trained in Novgorod； you know； and his French is impeccable。 He also carries on him a variety of identifications that would fool the Division of Documents at the Deuxième Bureau。〃
〃What about the other two？〃 pressed Bourne。
〃Silent subordinates； controlled by and subservient to their superior。 They're also experts at their craft。 。。。 Here he es！〃
Sergei could be seen walking out of the glass doors； he turned left； and within moments crossed the wide boulevard toward the Citro？n。 He reached the car； went around the hood and climbed in behind the wheel。 〃Everything is in order；〃 he said； angling his head over the front seat。 〃Madame has not returned and the flat is number twenty…one； second floor； right front side。 It has been swept thoroughly； there are no intercepts。〃
〃Are you certain？〃 asked Conklin。 〃There's no room for error here； Sergei。〃
〃Our instruments are the best； sir；〃 answered the KGB aide； smiling。 〃It pains me to say it； but they were developed by the General Electronics Corporation under contract to Langley。〃
〃Two points for our side；〃 said Alex。
〃Minus twelve for permitting the technology to be stolen；〃 concluded Krupkin。 〃Besides； I'm sure a number of years ago our Madame Lavier might have had bugs sewn into her mattress…〃
〃Checked；〃 broke in Sergei。
〃Thank you； but my point is that the Jackal could hardly have monitoring personnel all over Paris。 It all gets so plicated。〃
〃Where are your other two men？〃 asked Bourne。
〃In the lobby corridors； sir。 I'll join them shortly； and we have a support vehicle down the street； all in radio contact； of course。 。。。 I'll drive you over now。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 interrupted Conklin。 〃How do we get in？ What do we say？〃
〃It's been said； sir； you need say nothing。 You are authorized covert personnel from the French SEDCE…〃
〃The what？〃 broke in Jason。
〃The Service of External Documentation and Counterespionage；〃 answered Alex。 〃It's the nearest thing here to Langley。〃
〃What about the Deuxième？〃
〃Special Branch；〃 said Conklin offhandedly； his mind elsewhere。 〃Some say it's an elite corps； others say otherwise。 。。。 Sergei； won't they check？〃
〃They already have； sir。 After showing the concierge and his assistant my identification； I gave them an unlisted telephone number that confirmed the Service and my status。 I subsequently described the three of you and requested no conversation； merely access to Madame Lavier's flat。 。。。 I'll drive over now。 It will make a better impression on the doorman。〃
〃Sometimes simplicity backed by authority is best in deception；〃 observed Krupkin as the Citro？n was maneuvered between the sparse； erratic traffic across the wide avenue to the entrance of the white…stone apartment plex。 〃Take the car around the corner out of sight； Sergei；〃 ordered the KGB officer； reaching for the door handle。 〃And my radio； if you please？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied the aide； handing Krupkin a miniaturized electronic inter over the seat。 〃I'll signal you when I'm in position。〃
〃I can reach all of you with this？〃
〃Yes； rade。 Beyond a hundred and fifty meters the frequency is undetectable。〃
〃e along； gentlemen。〃
Inside the marble lobby； Krupkin nodded at the formally dressed concierge behind the counter； Jason and Alex on the Soviet's right。 〃La porte est ouverte；〃 said the concierge； his gaze downward； avoiding direct eye contact。 〃I shall not be in evidence when madame arrives；〃 he continued in French。 〃How you got in is unknown to me； however； there is a service entrance at the rear of the building。〃
〃But for official courtesy it is the one we would have used；〃 said Krupkin； looking straight ahead as he and his panions walked to the elevator。
Lavier's flat was a testament to the world of haute couture chic。 The walls were dotted with photographs of fashion notables attending important showings and events； as well as with framed original sketches by celebrated designers。 Like a Mondrian； the furniture was stark in its simplicity； the colors bold and predominantly red； black and deep green； the chairs； sofas and tables only vaguely resembled chairs； sofas and tables…they seemed more suitable for use in spacecraft。
As if by rote； both Conklin and the Russian immediately began examining the tables； ferreting out handwritten notes； a number of which were beside a mother…of…pearl telephone on top of a curved； thick dark green table of sorts。
〃If this is a desk；〃 said Alex； 〃where the hell are the drawers or the handles？〃
〃It's the newest thing from Leconte；〃 replied Krupkin。
〃The tennis player？〃 interrupted Conklin。
〃No； Aleksei； the furniture designer。 You press in and they shoot out。〃
〃You're kidding。〃
〃Try it。〃
Conklin did so and a barely discernible drawer sprang loose from an all but invisible crack。 〃I'll be damned。〃
Krupkin's miniaturized radio suddenly erupted with two sharp beeps from inside his breast pocket。 〃It must be Sergei checking in；〃 said Dimitri； removing the instrument。 〃You're in place； rade？〃 he continued； speaking into the base of the radio。
〃More than that；〃 came the aide's quiet voice acpanied by minor static。 〃The Lavier woman has just entered the building。〃
〃The concierge？〃
〃Nowhere in sight。〃
〃Good。 Out。 。。。 Aleksei； ge